I caught the tail end of Athfest’s free outdoor shows yesterday. Had a really good time hanging out and taking in the scene but was kind of disappointed by the two bands I saw. Dubconscious, as their name implies, play delay heavy, dubbed out rock. They sounded okay but my friend and I lost interest after a while and wandered off to score some burritos. My feeling toward that style of music is ambivalent at best. We missed the mini twenty minute set by The Dexateens but made it back for Drivin’ N’ Cryin’s first song. I love the balance of Southern fried hard/roots rock on their first four albums (haven’t heard the rest) and was pretty excited to see them. Unfortunately, they were only okay. Kevn Kinney has a great voice but it was lost in the mix for this performance. Their albums have some pretty heavy guitar crunch but that edge was shorn off in favor of extended jams and a more classic rock feel. I’m sorry but watching some dude go off on a Hammond XB-2 for multiple solos is about as exciting as watching someone type. Oh well, it was still fun getting out for the evening and the price was right.
Tag Archive for 'concerts'
Sad news about Nikki Sudden’s passing on Saturday. I came across an excellent history and interview with him just the other day. He was a busy guy, in the midst of writing an autobiography, touring, and recording a new album at the time of his death.
I was fortunate enough to see him play last summer at Athfest. He was on the second stage and only played a six song set but I was really impressed. He even played a song from his old Swell Maps days, “Midget Submarine.” I remember he gave a nonchalant intro for “Countess,” saying you meet all kinds of interesting people when you travel the world and have a career like his.
Emusic has a wealth of Nikki Sudden available. Topping the list of recommendations is the classic Swell Maps album, A Trip To Marineville. His solo material is quite different than the Maps’ art punk, more like Dylan meets the Stones. Disc one of The Last Bandit provides a good overview of that work. And his band with brother Epic Soundtracks (who was also in Swell Maps) and Dave Kusworth, The Jacobites, is worth checking out too. Robespierre’s Velvet Basement in particular is excellent.
You can also grab a bunch of stuff for free at the Secret Canadian mp3 page. That label has reissued a pretty big chunk of his catalog in recent years, including The Jacobites and Swell Maps.
So have yourself a Nikki Sudden fest in tribute to this legendary but underappreciated icon. He’s left behind some truly wonderful music.
